Land-Use Planning and Zoning in Coordination with Diverse Sets of Societal Values
This research is one of the sub-projects of NIRA's comprehensive research project: Japanese Culture, Tradition and Land Use.
The progress of globalization and exchanges with neighboring countries will further diversify our culture and values and will make us realize the importance of individuality in the civil society of the twenty-first century. It will become increasingly important to promote environmental preservation based on global perspectives and to establish a symbiotic relationship between people and nature in society. Present land-use policies based only on uniform development plans conducted by the national government cannot deal with the diverse values of people living throughout the country. Local citizens respecting diverse cultures and values should take the initiative to create comfortable environments where a symbiosis of people and nature can bloom. Thus, it is necessary to reexamine the current planning system of land-use and development and to identify an effective strategy of land-use planning and zoning that will enable the realization of a comfortable and unique living environment.
Bearing these issues in mind, this research will consider new land-use methods from the following viewpoints of land-use planning and zoning, which will be important for the twenty-first century: (1) establishing unique cultures and regional characteristics through the active participation of citizens with diverse values; (2) conserving the beauty of the land, placing importance on the cycle of nature and the symbiosis with nature; and (3) making Japan attractive not only for people in Japan but also for those in foreign countries. To this end, this research will, (1) examine current land use policies; (2) identify problems related to the legal systems in the current planning system of land-use and development; and (3) bring into view proper legal systems to address new uses of land.
Lastly, this research will also consider the following systems, including systems related to the legal process, to support the new use of land: (1) land-use regulations to assure environmental protection and social justice, while utilizing the advantages of the market economy; (2) land-use plans which are conducted by municipalities on their own authority and responsibility in order to address the diversification of land use stimulated by the diverse values of those residing in the region. Through the cooperation between regional residents and industries, plans can be developed according to each region's characteristics; and (3) the adjustments made between local and central governments concerning contradictions and conflicts among regions that extend beyond municipal borders, such as the land-use planning and industrial policies for a wide area, the use of land related to environmental policies, and plans related to regional characteristics.
NIRA-conducted research: July 1999 - December 2000
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